Fresh off the back of a very successful show in Newcastle Upon Tyne for the second instalment of their 2024 European Season, the PFL return stateside tonight (June 13) for PFL 4: 2024 Regular Season.
Yesterday, the athletes took the scales with all but one making weight successfully. In a feat that is rarely seen, it was one of the heavyweights that missed weight, with Davion Franklin coming in at 268.5lbs. The card will see the Heavyweights and Female Flyweights look to secure their places in the semi-finals of the 2024 season.
In the main event, Valentin Moldavsky will be looking to secure his place in the finals with a victory over the gritty veteran Linton Vassell. In his first outing the Russian took out Ante Delija in the very first round, in what was one of the stand out performances of the opening round of the 2024 season. Vassell will be hoping he can pull off a repeat performance of the pair’s second meeting, when he stopped Moldavsky in the first round of their Bellator 292 bout. Even with a first round stoppage, Vassell would still be relying on other results to go his way in order to secure a spot in the semi-finals.
Chelsea Hackett finds herself in a very similar situation to Vassell, needing a quick finish and other results to go her way. The Australian faces what is undoubtedly her biggest challenge to date as she steps in against the 2023 PFL European Champion and unbeaten prospect Dakota Ditcheva. In the first round of the season, Hackett fell foul of a first round submission at the hands of Jena Bishop and knows that she needs to have a quick start in her upcoming bout to have any chance of advancing. As well as her unbeaten record, Ditcheva will be keen to stay at the top of the table, following her first round finish against Lisa Mauldin in the opening round.
Denis Goltsov defeated Vassell in the season opener he was set to face Sergey Bilostenniy but following the withdrawal of Bilostenniy, Goltsov will now take on former UFC title challenger Thiago Santos. At 40-year-old, Santos has the chance to step into the tournament and potentially secure himself a spot in the semi-finals, if he can find a way past Goltsov. However, the Brazilian will need a severe switch in form, having only won one of his last eight.
It is all to play for when Liz Carmouche takes on Kana Watanabe as the women find themselves fourth and fifth, respectfully. If either women get find their way to a stoppage win, they likelihood is, they will take one of the four spaces in the next round. Both with 6 points, Taila Santos and Jena Bishop will square off in the women’s Flyweight season. The pair will be hoping they can secure a statement win to move onto the next round. Juliana Velasquez and Lisa Mauldin will open the second round of the Flyweight tournament tonight, with both currently sitting outside of the top four spots.
Oleg Popov find himself sitting pretty in second as he enters the final week of the Heavyweight Regular season. Davion Franklin will want to upset the apple cart against the Russian and steal a last minute place in the Heavyweight semi-finals. Marcelo Golm will face Tyrell Fortune and needs a stoppage to have any chance of qualifying.
You can find the full weigh in results, here:
PFL Mohegan Sun Card:
Thursday,
June 13 – Live on ESPN / ESPN+ / DAZN
Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut 9p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
Heavyweight Regular Season Main Event:
Valentin Moldavsky (231.5) vs. Linton Vassell (243)
Women’s Flyweight Regular Season Co-Main Event:
Dakota Ditcheva (125.5) vs. Chelsea Hackett (125.75)
Heavyweight Regular Season Bout:
Denis Goltsov (243) vs. Thiago Santos (241)
Women’s Flyweight Regular Season Bout:
Liz Carmouche (126) vs. Kana Watanabe (125.75)
Early Card:
Live on ESPN+ / DAZN 5:30 pm ET / 2:30 pm PT
Women’s Flyweight Regular Season Bout:
Taila Santos (125.75) vs. Jena Bishop (125.5)
Heavyweight Regular Season Bout:
Oleg Popov (245) vs. Davion Franklin (268.5)*
Heavyweight Regular Season Bout:
Marcelo Golm (266) vs. Tyrell Fortune (253)
Women’s Flyweight Regular Season Bout:
Ilara Joanne (125.5) vs. Shanna Young (126)
Heavyweight Regular Season Bout:
Danilo Marques (248.25) vs. Tim Johnson (266)
Women’s Flyweight Regular Season Bout:
Juliana Velasquez (125) vs. Lisa Mauldin (125.5)
Alternate Women’s Flyweight Regular Season Bout: Sumiko Inaba (125) vs. Saray Orozco (125.5)
*
Davion Franklin missed the heavyweight limit of 265-pounds, Franklin was fined 20% of his purse and one-point has been deducted from the League standings, but will be eligible to earn points based on the outcome of the bout
